Cooeeb fob ebankfobtekis or the like



Sept. 13, 1932.

E. c. L- Aus cooxER Fon FRANKFURTERS on THE LIKE Filed oet. 1e

2 Sheqts-Sheet 1 Sept- 13, 1932. E. c. cLAus COOKER FOR FRANKFRTERS ORTHE LIKE Filed'oct. 16'

. 1930 2 SheetS-Sheet 2 Madan FP Patented Sept.'1-3,'1932v i I Y 1 y INris sT @ERNST C. CLAUS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS CooKnn non rnemrruR-TERSOBTHELIKE l Application filed October 16, 1930. Serial No. 489,027. y

This invention relates to a vending device, path are made removable sothat the device and more particularly to a vending device may be quicklycleaned on the inside as Well for frankfurters or the like, theinvention as the outside thereof. This object is accomjm however, notbeing limited to frankfurters plished by arranging suitable baiiies inthe although the machine shown in the drawings receptacle and supportingthe same so that was particularly designed for vending and accidentalreplacement thereof is prevented cooking that kind of food. but quickremoval thereof, When desired, is

One object of this invention'isvto provide insured.' n a cooker WhichWill cook or merely heat The hopper which I employ preferably is il@frankfurters as they travel along a predeterconstructed of glass and isseparate from the 60 mined path, all of the frankfurters receiving mainportion of the receptacle Which genersubstantialiy the same amount oftreatment. ally Will be made of meta-l such as aluminum.y Another objectof this invention isA to pro-k This glass hopper is arranged to 'be'quickly vide mea-ns for insuring 'that the frankfurt-V detached from thebottom part of the recepu ers which have received the maximum amounttacle so that the same may be readily cleaned of cooking Will be theones Which may whenV desired. The reason I desire to employ be removedfrom the cooker. This isl ina glass hopper is that the articles beingsured by providing means for cooking the vendedwill be visible tothe eyeto attract' frankfurters as they move along a predeterattention. y minedpath preventing the removal thereof It isnecessary however, t0 0162111the glaSS 70 until the same reach a, predetermined posihopper moIeOftentha-I1 it Would be necessary tion along Said path, p l to clean a metalhopper Vin view of the fact Anothe` object of this invention ig to foodthat the grease from the frankfurters Would frankfurters through acooker in vsuch a manbe flipt t0 gVQ an uIlSgh-ly appelrlc to the nerthat the cooked frankfurt'er may be rehopper, and lt Would be necessaryto remove 7d moved Without tho necessity of disturbing this grease inorder that the customer Would the alnement of the other frankfurters innctbc displeased With the appearance of the. tho Cooker, A y cookingoutfit. It will be readily appreciated In carrying lout my invention, Iprovid@ a that if the customer is displeased vvith the hopper in Whichthe frankfurters may be argl'elSy aPpQM'MICG O-th@ 1101313913 he Will beranged in alinement and so conveyed that llhned not t9 mak@ afllfchatheir alinement will always be substantially lotho olSJeCt O f thisinvention isto pro'- preserved as the frankfurters we removed vide. acooking unitwhich maybe used effrom a stack of the same When they reacha GCiJlVGlY 111 CLSGUEES or other Self-Served predetermined position toWhich they are feS-MUMS- Tilt/.arrangement of the @00kmoved by gravityin the machine Shown in the ing unit is such that the customer in aselfdmwngsy Y y served restaurant would' always get only the AnotherObject of this invention resides in properly cooked or heatedfrankfurters or +1 1 the provision of a suitable receptacle in which@mel mudas Whlch are 06mg Vended' These and other objectsof theinvention the frmnkfurters are heated the receptacle Will appearhereinafter as the description of hmimg an Opanmg at the top .thereofthrough the invention. proceeds the novel features and which thefrankfurters are inserted and an Cominition'ben Setfoth in th a endedopening near the bottom thereof through dgimq l c g pp Y Which the samemay be removed Without dis-` In e drawings f Y 95 tufbm the ih nement ofthe Temalnlng Fig. l represents a vertical central crossfrankfurterswhich are supported inthe re- Section though a machine embodying myceptacle. l 1 invention;

Preferablythe directing means for direct-k Fig. 2 is a cross-sectiontaken along the l ing the frankfurters alongv a predetermined line 2-42of Fig. l;v

CIT

Fig. 3 is a detail of a retaining member shown in F ig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1 and looking fromthe same direction as in Fig. 1; and

Figs. and 6 are perspective views of the baille plates used in thecooking unit.

The cooking unit which l employ comprises the receptacle 1 which has animperforate bottom 2 and is substantially rectangular in horizontalsection. rlhe receptacle is provided with the feet 3 at the four cornersthereof and an electrical heating unit designated generally as l, and ofany desired construction is arranged beneath the imperliorate bottomthereof and is adapted to furnish the heat for heating the water 5 whichis placed in the bottom of the receptacle 1. The heating unit is coveredby an asbestos pad 6 and a metal plate .7 which are secured to thebottom of the receptacle by means oi the screws 8 extending into thebosses 9. Wires 10 lead from the heating unit to a switch 12, thisswitch being such as to give various temperatures to the heating unit.No invention is claimed in the particular type of switch used as suchswitches are common to electrical heating units and are adapted to beused the same purpose as in the present invention. The switch is alsoconnected to a sourcer ofelcctrical energy by means of the cord 11.

The upper part ol the receptacle is provided with a horizontal ledge 13which ei;- tends substantially around the entire top of the receptacleand slightly below the top edge thereof so as to provide a verticalretaining flange 14; around the entire upper edge ot the receptacle. Therectangular glass hopper 15 has a bead 16 around the lower outerperiphery thereof. rlhis bead is adapted to lie in close proximity tothe vertical flange 14 as is clearly i iustrated in Fig. 1.

A retaining member 17 substantially U- shaped in cross-section andhaving one leg of the lJ-shaped portion longer than the other, carries aprojecting portion. 18 on the shorter leg thereof. A slot 19 bestillustrated in Fig. 3 is provided in the longer leg of the *ll-shapedretaining member. Screws 20 pass through openings in opposite walls ofthe receptacle and are held in place by means of the nuts 21. Thumb nuts22 are screw-threaded on the protruding ends of the screws 2O and thelonger legs of the U- shaped retaining members 1'? are arranged betweenpairs of nuts 20 and 22, the screws .being arranged in the slots 19 sothat the retaining member 17 may be removed by sliding the same in thedirection of the slot 19, thus enabling the same to be removed withoutthe necessity of removing the nuts 22. Since it is not necessary toremove the nuts 22, the chances that the same will be lost or misplacedis obviated. The project- Lemma ing portions 18 on the retaining member17 engage the upper portions of the bead 16 and the vertical flanges lllprevent lateral movement of the retaining member and ot the hopper 15.lllhen it becomes necessary to clean the hopper 15, all that isnecessaryis to remove the retaining member. 17 and the hopper may belifted clear of the receptacle. ln tact it is only necessary to removeone of the retaining members as it has been found 'from practicalexperience that the retaining members yield s .liciently to permit oneside of the hopper being tilted, and after that side has been rais-ecclear of the flange 1li, a slight lateral movement will disengage theother retaining member lrom the bead.

The hopper 15 is provided witha cover 23 having a handle 24securedthereto by means of a screw 25 and nut 26. A retaining rib 27' entendssubstantially around the entire inner periphery of the cover so as toprevent lateral movement ofthe cover relative to the hopper.

As is best illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, a curved baltle plate 28 isarranged in the receptacle 1. This baille plate has the latorallyprojecting portions 29 and 30 which abut against the retaining ledge 13and the ledge 31 which entends around the 32 which is arranged in thesloping portion 33 or" theV receptacle 1. rlhe curved baille plate 28 issupported by means of the lugs 34 cast integral with the receptacle 1,these lugs 34 having the horizontally extending portions 35 as bestillustrated in Fig. 2.

lt will be noted thatwith this arrangement the extending portions 35 otthe lugs 34 prevent downward movement of the baille Vplate 28 and thatthe laterally extending portions 29 and 30 of the battle plate preventupward movement of the baille plate. There is enough resiliency howeverthe baille plate to permit the same to yield sufficiently to permit oneto lift the laterally projecting portions 29 or 30 clear of theprojecting ledge 13 of the ledge 31 respectively. ln the embodimentshown in the drawings, it will be noted from an inspection oi' Fig. 2that the ballie 28 is'wider than the opening which is surrounded by theledge 13 so that one-cannot remove the baille through that opening.However, the bathe is not as wide as the opening 32, and therefore itmay be removed easily through this opening although it is clearly withinthe scope oi this invention to malte thebahe 28 smaller than the openingwhich is surrounded by the ledge 13 to permitthe baffle to be removedthrough that opening. However, it is Quite desirable to have the bailleremovable through the opening 32, as will be seen with this arrangementthe baille can be removed without removing the hopper 15. Y

'lh'e baille 28 is provided with the perforationsv 36 to permitV steamwhich'is generopening y' 0 of the receptacle 1 ving portion 42 abutsagainst the right-hand vided with the enlarged finger openings 37 whichare utilized for the purpose of removing the baffle. The baille 23 .isonly slightly wider than the opening formed by the ledge 13, and by aslight twisting movement of the i baflie after it is released at itsupper lefthand end in Fig. 1, the-saine may be moved through the openingl32 as previously described. The baffle is also provided with thenotched corners 38 which, as best illustrated in-Fig.V 3, co-operatewith the'lugs 39 to prevent any substantial lateral movement of theforward edge of the baille. Y

By an inspection of Fig. 1, it will be. noted that if the device wereconstructed with only the parts `which have been described, thefrankfurters which are introduced into the hopper 15, would traveldownwardly into engagement with the baille 28 and some of the`frankfurters could travel down along the right-hand side of the hopperof the receptacle to a position in front of the opening 32 before thesame were thoroughly heated or cooked, and these would be the first onesto be remloved, and their removal would permit others above themto fallinto a position adjacent the opening 32 while other frankfurters whichwere thoroughly, if not overly cooked, would remain against the baffleplate and could not be readily reached. This'y arrangement would alsocause a crowding of Vthe frankfurters adjacent the opening 32 and causethe same to move out of the opening, even pushing open the closuretherefor,which will be described presently.

In order to remedy these evils, I yprovide a second baille 40 having aplurality of openings 41 therein, and a laterally extending portion 42.A finger opening 43 is also provided, andv this is similar to thefingeropenings 37 in the baffle 28 and is for the purpose of removing thebaille. The lower edge of the baffle rests in the notches 44 formed inthe lugs 45 cast integral with the opposite walls and the laterallyextendwall of the receptacle as viewed in Fig. 1.

As will be noted from an inspection of Figs.

1 and 2, the baie 40 is wider than the opening formed by the ledge 13and therefore, if

in Fig. 1 pressure is applied to the righthand side of the baffle, nosubstantial move-- ment may be given thereto, to the left, in view ofthe fact that the upper edge of the baffle will engage the ledge 13 andthe lower edge is restrained from-lateral movement by being arranged inthe notches 44. Therefore,in order to remove the baffle40, it isnecessary to iirst lift the baffle out of the notches 44 and move thelower edge thereof horizontally.

There is suliicient clearance between ledge 13 and the upper edge ofthebaiiie 40 to permit the baflie` to be lifted out of theV notches. Afterthis is done, the baille may be dropped and removed through the opening32 or turned and removed through they opening formed by a ledge 13.

While VI have provided effective means for holding the baffles in place,it will be noted that by a very simple operation on the part of theoperatorVthe bales may be removed for the purpose of cleaning or for anylike purpose.

Of course, I do not wish to limit my invention to baffles secured inplace in the exact manner shown in the drawings, but the arrangementshown is unique and increases the eliiciencyof the device. Also if thebaflles are quickly removable, the operator will be inclined fto cleanthe 4apparatus more often than he might otherwise. may be kept moresanitary than if the baflies were-fixed in place.

Now it-will be noticed that with the baffle 40'added to the structure,the e'iciency. thereof is highly increased for the frankfurters cannotnow travel down the right-hand side of the hopper as viewed in Fig. 1and into a position adjacent the opening 32 without irst passingdown-over the baiiie 40into a position in close proximity at least, tothe baiile 28 and to the steam which is rising in the receptacle.Therefore, it is practically insured that the frankfurters or otherarticles being heated will be properly heated by the time they reach theopening 32. Furthermore, the baffle 40 prevents crowding of thefrankfurters adjacent the opening 32 so that when the closure thereforis in place, there will be no tendency for vthe `frankfurters to openthe same. v

The opening 32 is covered by means of the closure 46 which is a flatplate having engagement with the outer surface ofthe receptacle aroundthe edges of the opening 32. Ihe cover 46 is carried by a pintle 47having an oifset portion 48 and supporting extensions 49, the pintleturning in the bearing members 50 secured to the closure 46 by means ofthe rivets 51 or the like.

The supporting extensions 49 have the laterally extending portions 52and 53 rotatably supportedin the ears 54 on the brackets 55. Thebrackets 55 are also provided Awith the stop lugs 56 which prevent theclockwise movement of th-e supporting extensions 49 as viewed in Fig. 1.Rotational movement of the extensions 49 in the opposite direction is,of course, limited by means of the closure 46 itself which comes intoengagement with the receptacle. The lateral extensionu53 is vprovidedwith an upwardly exn tending arm 57 which carries a handle 58 which maybe used tooperate the closure. It

Thus the device l vwill be noted that the permitted angle Vof movementof the arm 57 is such as to throw the center of gravity of the enlargedhandle 58 iirst to one side and then to the other of the pivotal supportas Well asto throw the closure 46 to one side or the other of thepivotal support. This enables the operator to retain the closure in anopen or closed position as desired.

It may be desirable in some instances to provide a spring for holdingthe closure shut, and so that the same may notbe accidentally left open,since if the closure is in the open position, the steam may escapethrough thek opening 32 and, of course, this is not desirable.

lt will be seen that with the arrangement which l have ust described,the frankfurters may be kept in perfect alinement as they traveldownwardly towards the opening 32, and that this alinement is notdisturbed by the movement of the frankfurters through the lower opening.Also it will be seen that the frankfurters must pass along apredetermined path and that all of the frankfurters will be heatedsubstantially the same amount during their travel., and there will be noopportunity for cold frankfurters or other mate 1ials which may becooked `therein coming into a position adjacent the opening 82.

The means for operating the closure is such that the pressure is appliedsubstantially centrally of the closure instead of at one edge thereof asis the case with the usual hinged closure, and in fact most closureswhich have means for retaining the same in place automatically afterthey have once been closed. The pressure being distributed evenly overthe entire area of the closure pro-- vides equal resistance againstforces which might tend to open the closure.

l have previously mentioned the fact that if pressure is applied to theright-haiid side of the baille 40, there is not much possibility thatthe same will be displaced as the pressure would have to be resolvedinto a con ponent which would lift the baille out of the notch 44. Onemight consider that there may not be much opportunity for a pressurebeing applied to the right-hand side of the baille in view of the factthat the frankfurters will exert a pressure only on the upper orleft-hand side of the baffle. However, supposing that the operatordesires to withdraw a frankfurter from the receptacle. l-le mayinadvertently strike the baffle with the fork which he probably isusing, and if the batlie 40 were permited to pivot about the lower edgethereof and there were only a few frankfurters in the receptacle, thebaille would rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and fall downwardlyagainst the baille 28, thereby interfering with the operation of thedevice and necessitating a considera-ble amount of N trouble on the partof the operator in restoring the parts to their original position, orthere may be some frankfurters that are piled up adjacentthe opening 32and when the operator seeks to take one of these, an upward pressure maybe imparted to others and this pressure may be extended to the plate 40.With the baille arranged in the notches 44 and prevented from rotationby the ledge 13, of course the pressure will not of itself displace thebafiie and the operation of the cooker will not be interrupted.

Obviously those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains maymake other changes in the construction or the arrangement of the variousparts vwithout departing from the spirit of this invention, therefore ldo not wish to limit myselfexcept as pointed out in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described an embodiment of my invention, what l desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. ln a cooker, the combination with a receptacle adapted to contain aliquid, a heating element for heating the liquid in said receptacle andgenerating vapor, an inclined support arranged above the liquid in thereceptacle to support foodstuif, means to introduce vapor into directcontact with the foodstuff whereby the foodstuff will be cooked by thevapor while on the support above the liquid, an opening adjacent thebottom of the receptacle at the end of the support, and a normallyclosed door for closing said opening. I

2. ln a device for cooking articles, the combination with a receptaclehaving an open top and carrying water, of a heating element for heatingthe water to generate vapor, means to introduce vapor into directContact with the articles, a support in said receptacle spaced above thewater in the receptacle, said receptacle having an opening thereinadjacent said support andV in one side of the receptacle, said articlesbeing carried by said support where they will be cooked by contact withthe vapor generated, said articles to be cooked being introduced throughthe open top and removed through'the opening in the receptacle. y

3.44 frankfurter cooker comprising a receptacle closed at the bottom sothat it will hold liquid and having an opening in the top and an openingin one side thereof, a support arranged directly above the liquid fordirecting frankfurters in a predetermined direction toward the secondopening after` they are fed into the first opening, heating means forheating the liquid in the receptacle to generate steam, means tointroduce steam into direct Contact with the frankfurters, saidfrankfurters being heated and cooked bythe steam Vgenerated as they passover the support, and

a baffle for directing the frankfurters in a predetermined direction'land preventing them from falling adjacent said opening without iirstbeing directed to the support and into proper position relative to thesteam generated by the heating means.

4. In a frankfurter cooker or the like, the combination with a containercontaining liquid, means for heating the liquid in the container andgenerating steam, means to introduce steam into direct contact with thefrankfurters, said means including perforated means for supportingrankfurters adthe container above the.

jacent the bottom of liquid whereby the steam generated will passthrough the perforations and cook the frankfurters as they pass alongthe said supporting means, said container having an opening thereinadjacent said supporting means and through which the cooked frankfurtersmay be removed, a hopper urters above the supporting means, and a balilefor directing the movement of the rankfurters from said'hopper along apredetermined path and along the supporting means in a predetermineddirection, said supporting means being inclined downwardly toward saidopening.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this14th day of October A. D. 1930.

ERNST C. CLAUS.

for supporting frank-

